'Still pinching myself': why selection means the world to Lealiifano

Christian Lealiifano was perhaps the most unlikely man to walk down the stairs to a Wallabies World Cup dream on Friday, but not because he beat cancer.

Lealiifano would have been playing for Samoa next month if an Australian rugby great hadn't stepped in to reignite his Wallabies ambitions.

That's why the playmaker's beaming grin at the Wallabies squad announcement told a number of stories, including his own surprise at securing a ticket to Japan.

He was excited and determined, having been diagnosed with leukaemia three years ago before fighting his way back on to the field and restarting his career, and relieved because he almost quit his Australian World Cup mission to honour family heritage until Stephen Larkham stopped him.

Larkham's move paid off when Lealiifano was named in Michael Cheika's squad and boarded a plane to New Caledonia for a World Cup training camp.

Before he left, he detailed the agonising decision he faced 12 months ago when he was weighing up his future and his prospects of World Cup selection.

Christian Lealiifano reflects on his World Cup selection.Credit: Rugby AU Media/Stuart Walmsley

The 31-year-old thought he had fallen off the Wallabies radar, and suddenly Samoa emerged as a World Cup option given his family history.

He would have needed to play several sevens tournaments this year to be eligible for the tier-two nation, which would have also given him a chance to team up with best mate Jack Lam.

Then Larkham, the 1999 World Cup hero and former Test assistant coach, laid down a challenge.

"I hadn't played for Australia for three years," Lealiifano said.

"I looked at Samoa, joining a tier-two nation. We explored that idea because I didn't think I would get to play for Australia at a World Cup.

"But then Bernie [Larkham] talked me out of it. He said not to settle, to push myself.

"I'm glad he said that because while it would have been nice to represent my family and Samoa, I've learnt all of my rugby in Australia.

Christian Lealiifano during the captain's run in Auckland before the Bledisloe Cup.Credit: AAP

"I knew playing for Samoa was a long shot, but I explored it and if it came to the crunch, maybe I would have given it a go. But I wanted to back myself to get back to playing quality rugby, and I'm ticking goals off slowly. I'm proud of that."

Larkham was one of the first people Lealiifano called when he found out about his Wallabies selection this week.

The pair have forged a close bond over years of working together at the ACT Brumbies, a battle against cancer and now a World Cup connection.

The Wallabies had tried to tee up Larkham as the man to call Lealiifano with his selection news.But when officials failed to get on to Larkham, who is coaching in Ireland, Cheika stepped in to deliver the good news. It means Lealiifano, Bernard Foley and Matt Toomua will compete for the No.10 jersey for Australia's World Cup opener against Fiji on September 21.

Lealiifano has his nose in front given he has started the past three Tests and led the Brumbies to a Super Rugby finals campaign this year.

"I'm just full of excitement and pride, a lot of pride for the journey I've had," Lealiifano said.

"But I'm excited as a group because of what we want to achieve and what we're working towards.

"I'm still pinching myself a little bit. I can enjoy this moment here, but then you've got to rip in and do the work."